new kiln

[cappabma1]

Hi,  I just purchase a new Olympic Kiln with a RTC-1000 controller and I have only done 6 firings so far and all six were bad.  Two of the six were pot melts that resulted in the glass resembling peanut brittle.  Two others were just a normal two layer fuse 12×12 that ended up cracked, one of them the complete piece and the other just the base layer.  My other two did fuse but not a nice smooth result like I get in my other kilns.  My firing schedules were nothing out of the ordinary for what I wanted to do.  Any suggestion or ideas why this might be happening.  I did talk to the supplier and they couldn’t offer any suggestions other than experimenting with different firing schedules.  I am using all System 96 glass, so the glass is compatible.

Mark

[Anonymous]

Hi Mark –

Sorry to hear about the frustration.  Have you tried the schedules here:

https://fusedglass.wpengine.com/tools/firing_schedules

They are very conservative — but a good place to start.

It is normal for different kilns to require different schedules — they all read temperature a little differently (even across the same models from the same manufacturers sometimes).

The “peanut brittle” sounds like you are saying it broke up.  If it broke on the way down (you’ll know because broken edges will be sharp) here are the possible causes:

– incompatible glass (sounds like that isn’t likely)

– it stuck to the shelf

– improper annealing (doesn’t sound like that kind of break)

– thermal shock

Any chance you can post a photo?

---

Paul
FusedGlass.Org
Helios Kiln Glass Studio
PaulTarlow.com

 

[cappabma1]

Hey Paul, Thanks for the reply to my suggestion  request.  I really appreciate it.  I am going to try another pot melt using the schedule your sent me.  I will let you know how this one turns out. 

Mark

 

 

mac

 

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